A field of twelve was set to go in the 2001 Distaff, but as the fillies and mares made their way through the tunnel and out onto the track Exogenous was spooked by something, perhaps the giant video screen in the infield or a camera flash. She reared up backwards and, according to attending veterinarian Dr. C. Wayne McIlwraith, "sustained an injury to the base of the skull" and "did have some neurologic signs but couldn't get up", a problem compounded by the fact that her right hind leg got caught in the rails next to the chute. She needed sedation with Solodine and Cantamine to get her into the ambulance and was given Sol-Delta-Cortef, a corticosteroid used for spinal injuries. She was brought back to the barn and through the afternoon she came out of sedation and stood up on her own and appears to be on her way to a full recovery although her racing career is likely over.

When the race did get underway at 1:30pm, Tranquility Lake went to the front and led the procession for the first half mile, the initial fractions in 23.62 and 46.94, with the longshot Queenie Belle and defending champion Spain stalking just behind. Pompeii, who had been rated in mid pack, gained the lead after 3/4 in 1:11.87, but she would stop badly in the stretch to finish last. At the apex of the turn, Spain grabbed the lead and was 2 lengths clear and appeared to be on her way to an easy win, the mile in 1:36.51. However, 12-1 shot Unbridled Elaine, who had been held up towards the rear, and short of room at the top of the stretch, angled to the outside and, under a hard ride by Pat Day, ran down Spain for a win by a head in 1:49.21. Two Item Limit, who had also been way back, came on late to grab third place.

Unbridled Elaine rallying on the outside with Spain on the lead at the rail and Two Item Limit just behind.

Pat Day raises his whip in victory as he wins the Distaff by a head over last year's winner Spain. Day said: "She was pretty comfortably placed in the middle of the field and she was moving nicely off the turn. I got her to the outside at the 3/16 pole, and at that time I was able to put my stick up and put her to the task. She responded beautifully and we went after the leader with a vengeance."

Unbridled Elaine in the winner's circle. She was returned last week to Dallas Stewart's barn from former trainer David Vance by her owner. Stewart said: "It was the owner's decision. He just decided to move the horse and the filly came back to us. David did a great job with her. He won a couple of stakes with her. She stepped up today, running against the best, ran down a great filly."

Owner Roger Devenport was unable to attend due to illness. His daughter Elaine Devenport (far left here) said: "He's doing well. He's a fighter and a survivor and I know he's at Keeneland today watching. I'm really just a cheerleader and here to enjoy the day."

Because of Exogenous' accident, the post parade was eliminated and the horses never came by us. I was lucky to get this shot of Unbridled Elaine as she entered the track.

I was not so lucky with Spain and this was the best I could get other than in the finish of the race. Her jockey Victor Espinoza said: "I had a lot of horse going around the turn. I was waiting for someone to come on and nobody did so I went on. We just got beat. The speed slowed down in a hurry, so when I got to the front turning for home I tried to open up as much as I could so nobody could catch me."

6-5 favorite Flute who finished seventh in the original aborted post parade. I think this was when Exogenous had just had her accident as Bailey and the outrider are both looking in that direction. Her jockey Jerry Bailey said: "She rushed too much. She's too green. She'll take some work."

Exogenous looking calm in the paddock before everything that happened. Her jockey Javier Castellano said: "When we were going to the track from the paddock to the track, she was walking nice and calm with the pony." and "This is the worst nightmare."